used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
perform an action, or work out or perform (an action)
From this reading But he could not summon the swift, courageous decision necessary to act upon that adage.
adagenounUS /ˈædədʒ/
a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people
From this reading But he could not summon the swift, courageous decision necessary to act upon that adage.
adventnounUS /ˈædvent/
arrival that has been awaited (especially of something momentous)
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
a quantity of money
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
anticipatingverbUS /ænˈtɪsəpeɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “anticipate” — regard something as probable or likely
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
associationsnounUS /əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “association” — a formal organization of people or groups of people
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A phrase from a sermon heard at Bursley stuck in his memory: _Every day begins a new year_.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
beginsnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnz/
plural of “begin” — Israeli statesman (born in Russia) who (as prime minister of Israel) negotiated a peace treaty with Anwar Sadat (then the president of Egypt) (1913-1992)
From this reading A phrase from a sermon heard at Bursley stuck in his memory: _Every day begins a new year_.
bogverbUS /bɑːɡ/
cause to slow down or get stuck
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
BoxingnounUS /ˈbɑːksɪŋ/
fighting with the fists
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
bracingnounUS /ˈbreɪsɪŋ/
a structural member used to stiffen a framework
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
Bursley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A phrase from a sermon heard at Bursley stuck in his memory: _Every day begins a new year_.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But he could not summon the swift, courageous decision necessary to act upon that adage.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But he could not summon the swift, courageous decision necessary to act upon that adage.
courageousadjectiveUS /kərˈeɪdʒəs/
possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
From this reading But he could not summon the swift, courageous decision necessary to act upon that adage.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
the act of making up your mind about something
From this reading But he could not summon the swift, courageous decision necessary to act upon that adage.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
EverydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading A phrase from a sermon heard at Bursley stuck in his memory: _Every day begins a new year_.
exertionnounUS /ɪɡˈzɜːrʃən/
use of physical or mental energy; hard work
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
extricateverbUS /ˈekstrəkeɪt/
release from entanglement of difficulty
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
featsnounUS /fiːts/
plural of “feat” — a notable achievement
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
fellow-creatures
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
fortifiedadjectiveUS /ˈfɔːrtəfaɪd/
secured with bastions or fortifications
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A phrase from a sermon heard at Bursley stuck in his memory: _Every day begins a new year_.
frostyadjectiveUS /ˈfrɔːsti/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But he could not summon the swift, courageous decision necessary to act upon that adage.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading A phrase from a sermon heard at Bursley stuck in his memory: _Every day begins a new year_.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A phrase from a sermon heard at Bursley stuck in his memory: _Every day begins a new year_.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A phrase from a sermon heard at Bursley stuck in his memory: _Every day begins a new year_.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
lethargynounUS /ˈleθərdʒi/
a state of comatose torpor (as found in sleeping sickness)
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
The faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information and knowledge.
From this reading A phrase from a sermon heard at Bursley stuck in his memory: _Every day begins a new year_.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
absolutely essential
From this reading But he could not summon the swift, courageous decision necessary to act upon that adage.
a condition requiring relief
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But he could not summon the swift, courageous decision necessary to act upon that adage.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
phrasenounUS /freɪz/
an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence
From this reading A phrase from a sermon heard at Bursley stuck in his memory: _Every day begins a new year_.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
resolutionsnounUS /ˌrezəˈluːʃənz/
plural of “resolution” — a formal expression by a meeting; agreed to by a vote
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
resonantadjectiveUS /ˈrezənənt/
characterized by resonance
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
Richard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
a period of the year marked by special events or activities in some field
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
sermonnounUS /ˈsɜːrmən/
an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service)
From this reading A phrase from a sermon heard at Bursley stuck in his memory: _Every day begins a new year_.
marked by correspondence or resemblance
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
plural of “street” — a thoroughfare (usually including sidewalks) that is lined with buildings
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
caught or fixed
From this reading A phrase from a sermon heard at Bursley stuck in his memory: _Every day begins a new year_.
subsidingnounUS /səbˈsaɪdɪŋ/
a gradual sinking to a lower level
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
summonverbUS /ˈsʌmən/
call in an official matter, such as to attend court
From this reading But he could not summon the swift, courageous decision necessary to act upon that adage.
moving very fast
From this reading But he could not summon the swift, courageous decision necessary to act upon that adage.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading But he could not summon the swift, courageous decision necessary to act upon that adage.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
trafficnounUS /ˈtræfɪk/
the aggregation of things (pedestrians or vehicles) coming and going in a particular locality during a specified period of time
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
except if; if not
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading But he could not summon the swift, courageous decision necessary to act upon that adage.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
at the time that
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It was the morning of Boxing Day, frosty, with a sky of steel grey; the streets were resonant under the traffic.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
wrenchverbUS /rentʃ/
twist or pull violently or suddenly, especially so as to remove (something) from that to which it is attached or from where it originates
From this reading For a whole year he had been slowly subsiding into a bog of lethargy, and to extricate himself would, he felt, need an amount of exertion which he could not put forth unless fortified by all the associations of the season for such feats, and by the knowledge that fellow-creatures were bracing themselves for a similar difficult wrench.
a period of time containing 365 (or 366) days
From this reading Richard had long been anticipating the advent of the New Year, when new resolutions were to come into force.
